Zuma Says Parliament Disorder Influencing Dignity of SA

Addressing the House of Assembly that was almost half empty, because most of the opposition (due to a boycott of him) plus many ANC members (because who knows why) were not there, President Jacob Zuma today told the speaker to get the house in order. He spoke about how South Africa’s dignity was compromised by the behaviour in Parliament. (For this and other choice quotes, see below, and video at end.)

Zuma said he would only deal with the budget in his speech – his presidential budget for R505 million was under debate – and not other things raised by the opposition members who, he suggested, had been behaving very badly lately.

On Wednesday, the Economic Freedom Fighters were forcibly removed from the chamber after they said Zuma should not be allowed to talk because he was an illegitimate president. The Democratic Alliance also raised its voice, while COPE has already withdrawn from the house because it said it served no purpose being there while Zuma was still president.

After finishing his speech, Zuma lectured the assembly on its behaviour:

• “If members have no respect then it’s going to be difficult to respect them or their contributions.”
• “We all have rights and the rights should be respected.”
• “Commenting as someone who from time to time comes to his house to participate, I believe your house (Speaker Baleka Mbete) needs to do more to bring this house into order.”
• “I go around Africa and people ask me very embarrassing questions about this parliament. I thought you should know this. Some are complaining particularly in our region that in the manner in which we behave in this parliament we are changing the perceptions they have heard about us that we are a leading example of a constitutional democracy. They are now saying you are influencing some of their people in a wrong way.”
• “I was in one country had a young man speaking on the TV imitating some of the young men who are here in South Africa.”
• “I think it is important that you seriously bring this house into some order for the dignity of the country because it must be seen from the public representatives.”
• “Some people who we represent who cannot be here are not happy in the manner in which this parliament is at the moment conducting itself.”